Pat Blank

All Things Considered Host

Pat Blank has been with Iowa Public Radio for 27 years. She was hired as a reporter and eventually was chosen to host Morning Edition at the Cedar Falls studios in 1986. She has been host of All Things Considered since 1995. She is a nationally award-winning reporter who has also worked in commercial radio and television. Pat has served as a part-time instructor at Wartburg College and at the University of Northern Iowa, where she teaches journalism classes. She is on the Board of Control for UNI’s student run radio station, KULT. She is currently serving a second term on the Iowa Archives of Broadcasting National Advisory Board. Most recently, Pat was honored by receiving the Jack Shelley Award for Broadcast Excellence, in 2014.

Pat has a bachelor’s degree in radio-television broadcasting from the University of Northern Iowa.

The 98-acre State Forest Nursery in Ames has been losing money since 2007 because of decreasing demand for seedlings. That made it a likely target for closing when the Iowa Department of Natural Resources was looking to trim the budget. District Forester Mark Vitosh says however, the nursery is open and is filling orders for this fall and next spring.

When the second GOP presidential candidate debate is broadcast on Wednesday night, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton says she’ll be watching.

At the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls Monday afternoon she told an audience of about 500 that when she saw the first debate on Fox News, she found it entertaining. She says there’s not much difference between the 16 Republican candidates.

The Cedar Falls Police Department is now taking back unused, unwanted and expired prescription drugs at a collection box in the lobby at the City Hall. Police Captain Craig Berte says the bright white re-purposed post office mailbox is available 24-7. He says “it’s totally anonymous, the only reason we’re checking it is we’re dumping it when it gets full.”

Rail car traffic has increased dramatically across the state with the transport of grain, ethanol, and tractor parts and in the future, perhaps hazardous pipeline materials. Much of the time the journey is made without incident, but if there’s trouble, those who respond want to be prepared. With more trains covering greater amounts of track, those in charge of safety want to be sure they’re ready in case of an emergency. This past February, an 81-car Canadian Pacific train went off the tracks near Dubuque and caught fire.

Lime Springs Beef, a new 15- thousand square foot meat processing plant near the Minnesota border will open soon. Spokesperson Kyle Wooters says what they need now are employees. He says they’ll hold two job fairs this week.

“We’re looking for all people in the plant, production workers," Wooters says. "We’re looking to hire about 40 or 50 of those and shipping and grading and office support staff."

When you invite college age students to do shots, you’re likely to get their attention. Iowa Health Department officials are making that suggestion, but of course they mean vaccinations not alcohol. State Medical Director Patricia Quinlisk says probably the most important immunization to get is the one that protects against meningitis which can cause death.

It’s been nearly a year since more than 13 hundred Deere and Company workers in Waterloo and Ankeny got the news they were being laid off because of a decline in farm equipment sales. 60 have been called back but many others are still searching for employment. Tuesday a new Dislocated Worker Transition Center was opened to help get them back on their feet. The center is located on the main campus of Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo and represents a unique collaboration between the college, Deere’s Union Local 838 and Iowa Workforce Development.

We continue to bring you one on one interviews with the 2016 presidential candidates. IPR’s Pat Blank sat down with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal following his appearance at the Black Hawk County GOP Lincoln Dinner in Waterloo on Sunday, August 9th.

Here is their conversation

It is a crowded field of GOP candidates, how are you distinguishing yourself from the rest?

Twenty-five years ago, through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), our nation committed itself to eliminating discrimination against people with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division is proud to play a critical role in enforcing the ADA, working towards a future in which all the doors are open to equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, integration and economic self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the ADA, the U.S.

Cedar Rapids is in the national spotlight for the next four days as the city hosts the USA Curling Arena National Championships. Curling is a game played on ice in which large, round, colored stones are slid across the surface toward a mark known as a button. Think shuffle board, but with a lot more action as team members sweep the path of the stone to control its speed and direction. The surface is always an important factor, but this level of competition demands an ice expert. Enter Kevin Madsen of New London, Minnesota who’s part of an elite crew.

When you think about packing for summer camp some obvious items come to mind; sleeping bags, maybe a flashlight, or swimsuits. But a nature center in Northwest Iowa is looking to add another item to the list, your grandparents.

It’s often difficult for kids and grandparents to coordinate their schedules to allow quality time together, but The Dickinson County Conservation Board in Okoboji is looking to make it easier and more fun than ever. Grandpa, Grandma & Me! is a new kind of day camp focused on bringing kids and their grandparents together for a unique camp experience.

*** Please note the original post had two thousand homes, the number is roughly 15 percent of Iowa homes or just over 183 thousand**

Good news for those who use liquid propane; from backyard grillers to farmers and to homeowners. Prices are at an all-time low.

Iowa Agriculture Department Energy Analyst Harold Hommes says those who grill will probably not notice, “when we get into those small cylinders at retail generally with the price of the exchange and that process we don’t see that fluctuate too much.”

The Fourth of July is one of Iowa’s most popular holidays for boating, but historically it’s been one of the most dangerous. State Department of Natural Resources boating safety expert, Susan Stocker says many accidents and injuries can be prevented with good planning. She says Iowa law requires that the water craft have onboard; one life jacket per person as well as other equipment.

Trumpeter swans were abundant throughout Iowa in the 1800s, but pioneers commonly shot swans from the sky in fear of potential crop damage and they were harvested to near extinction by hunters. Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife technician Dave Hoffman says thanks to the help of volunteers, these majestic white birds were able to be reintroduced to the state in 1995 and continue making their comeback with more than 45 nesting pairs spotted last year.

Operation Dry Water is set to begin tomorrow as state, federal, and local law enforcement continue to focus on the state’s boating while intoxicated laws and draw public attention to the hazards of boating under the influence.

Louisiana Governor Republican Bobby Jindal was in Iowa Monday to take part in a forum on national security. The event was broadcast live from Mudd Advertising Studios in Cedar Falls and sponsored by the group Americans for Peace, Prosperity and Security. Jindal has been mentioned as a possible 2016 presidential candidate. Jindal is expected to announce next week if he will join a crowded field of GOP candidates.

Summer’s official start is right around the corner and with it comes an increase of pesky insects. State Health Department officials are warning against lathering on too much insect repellent. IDPH Medical Director Patricia Quinlisk says a little spray goes a long way. “You want to use the lowest concentration that you need,” she explains. “Concentrations don’t tell you how well they work, they tell you how long they’re going to last.”

For medical students enrolled in Gross Anatomy class, a rite of passage is dissecting human bodies. But putting hands on a real body is impractical for students who won’t eventually become doctors, however, technology is providing some new options.

It’s baby wildlife season in Iowa and many well-meaning people who find them believe they are orphans. Iowa Wildlife Center Executive Director Marlene Ehresman says most do not need to be “rescued” and taking them from the place where they were born will more likely do more harm than good.

A French military honor has been presented to 94 year-old Cleon Wood of Cedar Falls. Wood was a gunner on B-17 bombers that flew more than 30 missions over Europe in World War II. Wood received the French Legion of Honor for his participation in the June 1944 D-Day invasion and other American air missions in France. Counsel General of France for the Midwest, Vincent Floreani presented the medal to Wood in a weekend ceremony. Floreani says, "these people are so humble, they don't think they did anything special, they say they were just doing their job, but they are heroes."

The Iowa Department of Agriculture is canceling all live bird exhibitions at the Iowa State Fair, county fairs and other gatherings of birds in an effort to contain the spread of H5N2, a deadly bird flu that's led to the euthanization of more than 25 million poultry in the state.

Scientists are still unsure exactly how the disease is spreading. The department’s order begins immediately and is effective through the end of 2015.

Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton held a roundtable with small business owners in a bike shop in Cedar Falls. She says her focus on small business is a crucial component of her fight to help families get ahead and stay ahead. She also says she’s in favor of trade deals like the Trans Pacific Partnership, but it’s a work in progress.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture is responding to a second case of avian flu in a Northwest Iowa turkey flock. It’s a commercial operation in Sac County. The facility has 34,000 turkeys and is located near the initial case of H5N2 in Buena Vista County. State officials have quarantined the production areas and birds on the property will be euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

State Agriculture officials and the Iowa Department of Public Health are working directly with poultry workers at the affected facility to ensure proper precautions are being taken.

Grape growers get nervous when temperatures drop into the 20s in April as they did in some parts of Iowa Wednesday night. State Viticulture Specialist Mike White says a freeze warning is always cause for concern but he's had no reports of damage, "for the most part things look pretty good in Iowa. There may have been a vineyard or two in Southern Iowa in a low area that had frost, but I think right now,we're looking pretty good."

University of Northern Iowa students, faculty and community members came together Wednesday to call on 2016 presidential candidates to support a national goal of debt-free education at institutions of higher learning. Americans for Democratic Action's Iowa organizer, Chris Schwartz says "we're here today to send a message to the presidential candidates whether it's Hilary Clinton or Ted Cruz that you need to come out and support the concept of debt-free college education if you want the support of students and the ADA in this caucus cycle."

In honor of the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War, Eric and Leonard Myszka of Cedar Falls will be sharing their 650 square foot diorama of the Appomattox courthouse and battlefield. The display features more than 7,600 hand painted toy soldiers in elaborate detailed terrain with imbedded sound and special effects. The Myszkas will host an open house this weekend. The diorama can also be seen by appointment.

After announcing his plans last Monday to run for the Republican Party nomination for President in 2016, Texas Senator Ted Cruz embarked on a two-day campaign swing through Iowa. In Cedar Falls on Thursday, he spoke to around 100 at the Pipac Events Center.